Gregg Hart, a spokesperson for the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments, has confirmed he will run for Santa Barbara City Council in this November’s election, making him the fourth candidate who’d been barred from seeking re-election by the city’s term limits ordinance. Hart, a moderate Democrat, has vowed to work harder than anyone else and knock on more doors. A deft and skillful legislator, he is more at home with the higher-density agenda of the so-called “smart growthers” than that of the historical preservationists. While incumbents Bendy White and Frank Hotchkiss have indicated they plan to run again, Hart will find himself competing for the vacancy created when Councilmember Grant House steps down due to term limits. Considerable speculation surrounds who else might be running for that vacant seat, but to date only Planning Commissioner Michael Jordan has confirmed his candidacy. Also running for reelection in November will be Mayor Helene Schneider. Should Hart be reelected, his council position could create tensions with his employer as the two entities are sometimes at odds over the distribution of millions of dollars in transportation and transit funds.
